XP The force of which shapes the game.

 No matter what role-playing system you play, there is a means to advance your character with new abilities or skills. Some systems are more abstract than others in the "rules" of gaining XP or experience points, in reality the GM (Game Master) is the ultimate arbiter or rewarding his players.

This is where the GM has a power within the game to give rewards to specific actions in the game, thus promoting specific behaviors that the players, if they choose to ignore, lose in the reward.

GM's who tire of their players being murder-hobos can use the XP rewards to cull most behaviors in this instance. After all the RPG (in all systems) should be only viewed as a toolkit, not a legal document of rules, to be followed as a guide.

In my latest Numenera Tabletop game group, the players are adjusting from a traditional 5e D&D mindset, to something totally new and alien to them. The strange land and all its mystery is astounding my players along with the traditional RPG mechanics being tossed aside (meaning, the idea behind no initiative rolls in combat, and the GM does not roll dice, giving an air of the GM working with the players, not against them, being forefront).

I myself, adjusting to the game as well as a GM. This is my second group of players, only running Numenera once before. I am also discovering the XP system within that game quite versatile.

FYI: I've found even from my first game with Cypher, this game really is my jam. I'm challenged to come up with a lot of  "linking" concepts on the fly, and learning to go with the flow of the players insights and assumptions, using them as resource to pull idea from, without their own knowledge of it happening. Also note, I have all the card sets, and they have excellent ideas that I can pull from as well.

In my Castles and Crusades sessions, I use a checkmark system for each player. I have a sheet of paper with each characters name and a tally of checkmarks beside them. Every time I reward the player for a class-centric idea or success, I reward them 2 checkmarks, for other outside-class successes, I reward one. 

The checkmarks can equal 100xp each is you want or 50xps, depending on the style of session, and I reward the summ in the end of the scene/dungeon/adventure when the party has their downtime.

As a GM, you have to remember to put in challenges for all of your players classes (if the system use classes) so each player can shine in their particular roles.

Letting your players know where their XP gains are better, helps in them understanding what character behaviors you want from them. Announcing bonuses during play will give them hints on where you are giving them better rewards.

This might not be for every GM, as everyone is different, but this seems to work for me in a campaign setting. One shot sessions being different, and I usually run one shots with players with hidden agendas to complete as goals. 

Wow, getting there!

 I do have other Youtube channels, actually one is monetized but involved music, creating it and recording it. However YT sucks at identifying a musicians own content as his/her own. In fact its a battle with copyright strikes and BS.

My channel for Miniatures and Gaming is still a small one, I need 100 subscribers to get that channel URL.

As of Today I stand at 55 subs, which is awesome!!! Yeah its small but I'm happy that at least some people listen to my content and advice.

I can tell you with all confidence, when my channel gets large enough for monetization, I will refuse to do it. In fact I would implore my audience to use Opera as a browser and ad-block my channel. I know YT will end up putting ads despite my refusal.

If anything, I may accept sponsors, but my channel is my hobby and not my job. As I face my coming retirement years, I will end up being more and more involved with my channel. Currently I hold a managers position in retail, and Salaried full-time takes the majority of my routine. My free time is shared with grand-kids, my wife and my hobby.

Making Youtube videos can take a lot of time and effort. especially editing and mixing... and recently animations and effects. I'm trying my best to make interesting content  and refine my style.

I hope to soon start arranging discord video roleplaying sessions. I'm working on presenting a live table with miniatures and players joining by chat/video.

Games I would LOVE to arrange is, Numenera, TheStrange, TRAVELLER, and perhaps others.

Please feel free to join my Youtube channel, check it out and if you like it, Subscribe.

>>>>Visit me here!<<<<

Youtube Animation time...

So, as I had some time off and my usual vacation spot (my old home) was basically on fire, and had a huge influx of evacuees from the devastated regions of BC, Canada. I had a bit of time on my hand at my home in Alberta.

So now I'm upping the anti on my youtube channel with more commentary on Roleplaying games.

So here is my "Avatar", as the 28mm RPG miniature... at your service!

I used to do a bit of Animation, along with the 3D modeling stuff.I had always been interested in it, but seems that I'm always too busy to apply myself to it... but with my vacation, a bust, I've rooted myself to the computer and with the help of AI from Artbreeder, here we are with a rendered png file, boned/rigged and moving to my voice. 

If you haven't tried Artbreeder, I highly recommend checking out the website. You will find, as a Gamemaster of Roleplaying games, indispensable!

Rigging and rendered using an older piece of neglected software, however still very useful, Anime Studio 11 pro. I believe it is now called Moho and is several upgrades newer these days.

But still, nothing is wrong with dusting off old programs to bring life back life into things... animated things.

So I'm happy so far with the results, I might do a mouth animation later for close-ups, but for now, to have this guy move as if speaking, is great. Once set up, all I have to do is add a sound track of my voice, and hit a script button, and then render out the results. Vegas Studio is then used to chroma key out the greenscreen and I add video above or below the layer... it's easy from here on. The hard part is over, and having more fun with videos is the goal now.

Please visit my youtube channel search "28mmRPG", I do need 100 subs to finally get a proper URL for my channel. The LINK HERE
One thing, I will NEVER monetize my channel. If you run ad-block browser while viewing my videos, it's all good. No matter how big my channel gets. I DO NOT want to be a part of any money from YT.

Please feel free to Subscribe.

CANON... Woke-ists might give it up... but its in YOUR power to use it.

 Hey guys, QUIT complaining that Wizards of the Woke is no longer using pre-2014 material as canon.

It seems everyone is complaining about it, like it actually will have an effect on their own 5e Campaign. Here is some news for you. It wont... unless you allow them to.

Yes I do have the 5e books, but it's unlikely that I would DM a game... it's more likely that I would play as a player. I'm a Castles & Crusades Keeper,/GM. If I make a 5e game to present to a group of players, I can make WHATEVER I WANT as canon. I could use a Robert Jordan novel as my canon, I could use Moorcocks' Etertnal Champion novels as my canon... I can use my own brain invented world as my canon.

ARE YOU GUYS FORGETTING THIS?

Who cares if WotC wants to give up their story rich history, let them shoot themselves in the foot, it's fine by me.

The thing with D&D that YOU are forgetting, is that YOU can use non WotC material as your source, as it's a toolkit, to even make your own "Lord of the Rings" Campaign, play it ANYWHERE, and there is NOTHING anyone can do about it (including the rights holders to Lord of the Rings). 

I mean if you want to, you can give up the pre-2014 materials, but that would be YOUR doing, YOUR decision on doing so. 

Did you lock yourselves into some contract where you must follow every lock-step stance that WotC demands? Are you only allowed to use the material given out by WotC? ONLY IF YOU LET THEM.

Big deal if WotC wants to ruin their history or erase it... that's THEIR loss, not yours.

QUIT making videos where you are whining about canon... STOP. It's getting annoying.

RPG's... Game or... Sexual Therapy? What is it WotC?

 

So... yeah... seems to be allergies? But in my line of work, I got to get tested today.

Anyways, this will give me some time to type up some articles for my blog here.

SEX and Role-playing Games. It's a topic, it's a thing.

As for the mainstream Dungeons & Dragons, I'm certain many of us have played the games and encountered some form of sexual innuendo. 
Many sex-therapists use Role-Play as a tool to understand a couple's issues.
The thing is, when you play D&D, are you using it as a game or therapy?

This is something each of us should ask ourselves when we approach gaming. 
When you play chess, are you acting out sexual innuendo?
When you play Uno? Munchkin? Battletech? Monopoly?

As a married gamer-dad (married late in life at 35, just had our 21st Anniversary in May), my kids are all old enough to play role-playing games. When I'm GM/DM'ing any RPG, a lot of times my kids might want to join the group... so I've never used innuendo when they participate, and my older players don't initiate it (even without my kids playing, so far). If there was a situation where a player is smitten by the opposite sex, or same-sex... the general fade-to-black is what I use. It is implied that something has happened between the 2 characters (pc-pc, pc-npc, npc-npc) to have the 2 persons closer to a personal relationship.

It would feel uncomfortable if my kids were involved in that, within a game I'm GM/DM'ing.

As a guy who lived the hedonistic rock-and-roll band lifestyle until he hit his 30's, it really doesn't make me flinch at all if players go into innuendo mode in my games, of any inter-sexual means. (like I say, when my kids are in the group... um, pass). 
But the thing is, D&D and all other RPG's, are GAMES. And to me they are first and foremost just a GAME. Not therapy.

If you are playing RPG's in order to satisfy a sexual fetish, I'm sure there are RPG groups out there that will indulge your desires. But I think WOTC is making a big mistake if they are attempting to advertise their "game" as "sexual-therapy". After all, isn't that what they are currently trying to... approach?

It's something for us to think about, and question among ourselves. 

My Favorite PC I've ever played.

THE STORY OF VALGAR BLOODFLYTE

My favorite campaign instance as a player was long ago back around 1986. Near the end of my RPG days back then because work, guitar/band practices, and playing gigs on the weekends were over-riding my gaming time.

The game was standard D&D, the DM (Ted) was pretty good at off-the-cuff adventures. Taking an idea out of thin air and rolling with it with minimal prep.

The player group was between 4-7 players, depending on work, most of us were Security Guards who were night-owls due to our schedules. Others were GF’s and other acquaintances. A span of about a dozen players played through this campaign for about 2 years.

Everyone rolled 4d6 drop lowest… roll for height/weight and later, those who survived, we all rolled secret backgrounds.

My character was a male human, with a sailor background (seafaring mercenary), name Valgar Bloodflyte. I rolled exceptional 18+ strength (46%) and my rolls for height was 6’6”, yeah, BIG.

The only other stats of note were a 15 charisma and a 16 dexterity, the others were in the 10-13 range.
He used the Bastard Sword as his main weapon.

Ted started us off in “medias res” on the road with Captain Karn, (the Baron’s Step-son), a select few of the Baron’s guards, and the party (consisting of various ½ elf and humans of different classes).
Our mission was to rescue the Baron’s daughter, whom was abducted by the Elves of the North.

It became quite apparent that Karn had a dislike towards the ½ elves in the party, Valgar befriended on of the mixed-race members of the band and Karn’s distain spread towards Valgar as well.

Ted had been DM’ing another group as well and decided to pull the 2 groups together as an encounter. The Second party was mostly Elves and ½ Elves and a Dwarf, working for the Northern Elven Kingdom, looking for the Baron’s daughter as well.

It had become quite apparent that something was a-miss, both camps met on opposing sides of a clearing. Valgar was ordered ahead with his ½ Elf friend to “talk”. Karn was hoping that we would meet death at the hands of the Elves.
After engaging in banter with the Northerners it was evident that the Elves did not have possession of the Baron’s Daughter, and were in fact trying to track down the real culprits of the abduction.

Valgar returned to Karn’s camp, letting him know that the Elves had no intention on attacking.
“Good!” said Karn, “then ready the men, we outnumber them 2 to 1, it should be easy to take their camp by surprise!”
The attack did not go as Karn intended, as in mid-charge, Valgar turned on the Baron’s men.
Karn escaped though, and the remaining PC’s that survived, formed a new party.

The new group followed the trail of the real culprits, Brigands from Karn’s homeland. It was quite possible that Karn wanted to do away with the Baron’s heir, leaving him as the sole benefactor upon the Baron’s demise.

It was quite the overland trek, Valgar slew an Ogre and started a trend, that he would keep as a trait… collecting trophies. The Ogres skull was turned into the facemask of his helmet. Later Valgar was mauled by a grizzly, but the party managed to end the fight, the party thought Valgar earned the skin after being the party “meat-shield”. Bear-skin Cloak.
A fight with a fire-drake… the scales were turned to armor.

Soon enough, the group found the location of the Brigands camp. I believe Ted possibly used some of the Slaver’s series for the setting. Valgar unfortunately became one of the captives with his friend, the Dwarf named Magnus. As the two toiled in the mines they discovered a false-wall in the caves, finding a long chasm leading to a hidden ship, and a way out to the sea. 2 items of note were the Dead Captains Greatsword and his Amulet. Valgar took these as weapons to help him break out of the mines.

The other half of the captive party found the imprisoned Baron’s Daughter, and with chaos ensuing on the Brigands the entire party escaped with their belongings… Valgar Sailing the ship out of hiding, and escaping.

The Sword and Amulet were not without a curse, driving Valgar into periods of alcoholism. His other findings were a Ring of Feather-fall and Boots of Levitation. The sword also was a Flame-tongue.

Finally landing at port, as close as he could towards the Baron’s domain. He sold the ship to fund the means to cross a great swamp to return the Daughter. Karn had sent various mercenaries out to stop the Baron’s Daughters’’ return, by all means necessary.
Valgar, normally Chaotic-Good (under the influence of the amulet was Chaotic-Neutral) Causing all kinds of devastation as his means to escape the Baron’s men (swayed by Karn’s influence) and Mercenaries alike. Unfortunately, assassins caught up with the party in the swamps, and due to open rolls of critical misses aimed at Valgar, the Baron’s Daughter was inadvertently killed instead.

The near impossible trudge through the swamp forced the remaining party to lighten the load… laying the Baron’s Daughter to rest in the mire. Valgar had an idea… resurrection. We only need a piece of the Baron’s Daughter to make it happen. So, in a sealed jar of wax, was her hand.

Bear with me. 6’6”, Skull helmet, flaming sword, Chaotic-neutral, alcoholic, burning death to all who oppose him, near impossible to capture due to being able to leap off high cliffs and buildings, and ascending the same. With the Baron’s Daughters’ hand in a jar.

His best friend is a Chaotic Dwarf drinking buddy, and a ragtag group of followers (we were around level 8-9 by now). Hunted down occasionally by well-meaning, mis-informed PC’s.

Ah, the secret background, his was rolled on a d100. 01= lowly pauper, 100= Royalty. I rolled 97.

As Valgar’s new goal was to gain the means of resurrecting the Baron’s Daughter, and bringing her back to her home. He was then tracked down by the emissaries, whom believed Valgar was an heir to their lands over the sea. Managing to have the amulet finally removed, Valgar returned to chaotic-good intentions (but a lot less “fun” at the taverns, as Magnus has said).

As you well know, those of us who have played for many years. Groups eventually die, and most Campaigns are without conclusion. Yes, this was one of those casualties of time management.

Ted moved away and I was way too busy to play anymore. Ted did call me a few years back for some Space 1889 notes, as he remembers the Space 1889 campaign I had them playing for a year. He needed the low-down on some of the adversaries they faced, as he was planning on using them to continue the game I started… with the original players. Ah, Space 1889. That is another story all together as one of my favorite games to GM (the original GDW version), but for another time.

 

For The NEW Fantasy World DM/GM/Referee... Short Guide of Setting up the game

 

Friends, who finally decide to delve in the Mastery of Creating a Fantasy RPG group, as the DM/GM.

As this will be your first time in refereeing a game, I hope you might consider a lot of guidance here.

 

1: Your first game only needs to consist of 3 key things.

•          A location (town/hamlet/village/keep) for the players to re-supply and become “known” as they increase their reputation.
•          A location (caves, ruins, dungeon, complex) that players can gain loot/items and experience.
•          A list of side-ideas (competing parties, mini-encounters, reactive ideas on what happens at either locations) to fill in the journey between the 2 locations above.

For the First bullet point, you don’t need any more than this to start. Your Focus will be creating believable NPC’s, listing their mannerisms wants and needs is handy, and a simple physical description.
DO NOT MAKE PC-NPC’s 
You are a DM/GM… you are not a player, never make yourself a PC in the game. DON’T… seriously DON’T.

For the Second bullet point, make the looting grounds interesting, and for the sake of sanity, make it the only “known” location of mystery for the party… you will learn quickly that your own mouth is your worst enemy.

The Third bullet point is BROAD and redefines itself as the game progresses. Players may develop relationships to both locations that may create re-occurring enemies (even in town) and interesting drama for the trips between the 2 locations.

2: Once again, to be clear, as the definitive Master of the world, your MOUTH is your own worst enemy.

•         The players MUST know of the looting location, for now it should be the only location.
•          Listen to your players as they play… IMPORTANT
•          Stay consistent.

The opening game session, the players must have some implied goal, it’s usually “Loot location X” to become stronger. And this must be clear to the players. If it isn’t, then the players will run around, annoy the NPC’s and end up burning down the starting location to cover their crimes.

Make sure the characters are ALREADY equipped. This stops the first session devolving into a shopping session. It’s best to prep the player as they create and equip their character (buy stuff that will set your player up for a cave exploration, or wilderness exploration or castle heist…)

START the players leaving town and on their way to the looting-location, the party can develop on the road trip, and there will be PLENTY of time for shopping/carousing with NPC’s when they return from the action... with REAL stories to tell of their exploits, not just made-up pre-character background.

Listening to the Players lets you know what they like or don’t like in the game. Sometimes players come to conclusions about the locations that you might want to steal (and twist). After all, let them feel the gratitude of knowing they were right all along, when you can. They might have a love for certain types of explorations, cater to them for future adventures.

KEEP consistent. Your rules, rulings, mechanics must remain solid in your world. This also extends to your locations and NPC’s, motivations should never waiver, personalities should be set in stone.

After your first series of adventuring sessions with the players, you should have an understanding on the character/player/group dynamics and hopefully set the stages to new adventures and hooks to new locations. You will know if the entire group of players want to carry on, or end the adventure as is (as a one-shot).

 

One of my favorite campaign games as a player started the group off with a solid goal.

The DM presented a world in a power struggle.
The group of us are assembled to find the Baron’s daughter, apparently kidnapped by the elves.
Our group led by the Baron’s (NPC) Captain, whom we discovered had an evil-wolfish side to him several days into the journey.

The mission was clear from the get-go, it had everything for the players… fame, infamy, loot, inter group antagonist, and the discovery that the Elves didn’t kidnap the Baron’s Daughter, thus raiding the slaver/brigand’s stronghold that had her. Evil-Captain part of a ploy to war with the Elves… it was great.